How I met your mother
by NB313
Summary: This is not a cross-over with the sitcom but it's inspired by it. Sit back and enjoy the tale of how our handsome Russian met his beautiful Roza, as he re-tells their epic saga to their unborn child. Posted in AU Compilation for VA10thanniversaryproject.


Quick thank you to princesslara99 for her assistance on all things medical.

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PRESENT DAY xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

The storm hit the city hard and a tired, drenched Rose waddled into the warm apartment trying to be extra quiet. But it's hard to be stealthy when your tummy is the size of a large watermelon and your centre of gravity is off.

"Fuck!"

She hissed as pain shot through her toe after stubbing it on the table by the door.

"Roza?"

Rose froze in the middle of removing her scarf as she realised the hoarse whisper came from the dark lounge and not their bedroom.

A large figure rose and shuffled over to her. Rose saw the tired expression on her husband's face and cursed her clumsiness for the millionth time, frustrated to have woken him up when he clearly needed the sleep.

"Sorry Cowboy, didn't mean to wake you. I blame your spawn for being a klutz!"

The mention of his child suddenly melted all of Dimitri's fatigue. In two large strides he was on his knees, welcoming his baby home.

"Welcome home, little angel. How were we today?"

Some would have taken offense at seeing their partner bypass them and showering their progeny with attention instead, but seeing Dimitri address their child before her only increased Rose's love for him She knew without a doubt he would be a wonderful father – after all he was already a loving husband. But that didn't stop her from messing with him.

"Hmm…What am I, just the incubator? Nice to see where your priorities lie Cowboy…real nice…way to make a girl feel special…"

She added a little sniffle at the end and hung her head low, hiding the little grin that threatened to escape knowing that in 3 seconds her husband would be grovelling for her forgiveness.

Three…

Two…

One…

"Oh no Roza! Sorry…I mean…I didn't mean to ignore you…oh hun, you know I love you so much. Our child wouldn't be possible without you…You are always a priority for me, my love…"

Dimitri stood up and pulled her into his warm embrace – the last thing he needed was another hormonal 'breakdown'. They had reduced since Rose entered her 7 month mark, but the first 6 months had been a nightmare with Dimitri walking around on eggshells.

Rose lost her motivation to continue her charade when she felt Dimitri's warmth seep into her cold, shivering skin. This was her heaven, her happy place. She could endure the worst if it meant coming home to his arms every night. It was hard to remember her life before his love and comfort.

"Come Blue, let's get you out of these wet clothes and into something warm…"

Before Rose could protest, he picked her up and carried her into their bedroom. Normally Rose would have reprimanded him for 'man-handling' her, but tonight she loved the attention. He placed her delicately on the edge of their bed before making his way to their dresser to grab some sweatpants and one of his large shirts. Even though it was late he knew her condition kept her in a constant state of hunger, so Dimitri enquired if she wanted something to eat.

"That would be heavenly Cowboy…I'm happy to have leftovers – just feed me!"

Smiling at her indulgently, Dimitri passed her the clothes and with a quick kiss headed to the kitchen. Rose thought about changing straight into the night clothes but then remembered all the bodily liquids she had unfortunately been splattered with during her shift and even though she had showered thoroughly at the hospital another quick one couldn't hurt!

By the time she made her appearance, Dimitri had finished making them a late night 'snack' of bacon & egg rolls, her favourite! Without saying a word for a full 5 mins, Rose was single-mindedly focused on devouring the first of her two rolls. Dimitri couldn't help but chuckle at his wife's behaviour, all the while gazing at her with love.

It didn't take them long to finish the food and after a quick wash-up, Dimitri carried his yawning wife back to bed. He loved carrying her whenever he could, even with the baby she wasn't that heavy and his heart swelled every time he held her in his arms.

Laying her down in bed, he settled near her feet and got ready to give her one of his special foot rubs. Removing the fluffy socks, he worked his fingers all over her left foot before moving to her right. It didn't take long for Rose to start moaning which started affecting Dimitri in a whole other way.

Finally relaxed, Rose sat up on her hill of pillows which allowed Dimitri to move to his new favourite spot – lying across her lap, close to her swollen belly.

"Hello, my angel…this is your papa…"

Dimitri loved whenever the baby acknowledged his voice – usually in the form of a strong kick. Of course Rose wasn't always keen on these interactions, especially when the kick caught one of her organs. Stroking over the spot the baby had just kicked – both to soothe the pain and calm the little critter – Rose gazed at her handsome husband while her other hand massaged his scalp.

It was Dimitri's turn to moan – he always loved Rose's scalp massages because it felt like with every brush of her fingers she plucked away his worries. Getting into a comfortable position, he moved the shirt she was wearing away from her belly so his cheek could rest against her bare skin. It didn't help his diminishing erection, having that skin to skin contact, but any chance to get as close to the baby as possible was a perfect moment for him. Making sure he wasn't leaning on her bladder, he pondered on which story to tell their child tonight.

This was something they had started after the 6 month mark – to not only to get the baby used to their voices but to hopefully associate 'story-time' with 'bed-time'.

"Hmm what story should I tell you tonight, little one?" Dimitri thought out loud.

"How about Vasilissa the beautiful?" Rose suggested. She had grown fond of Russian folklore ever since Dimitri regaled with the stories he had grown up with.

Dimitri considered it for a few seconds but dismissed the suggestion. His eyes twinkled with mischief as he gazed into those beautiful brown orbs that belonged to his wife. She knew the look and realised which story he had decided on.

"No, Dimitri. That's a long story – almost as long as the Odyssey and I'm tired…"

Dimitri wouldn't be budged – this was his favourite story and he loved sharing it with their little angel. He quickly sat up and fluffed the pillows around Rose, making sure she was as comfortable as possible.

"You don't have to stay awake love…this story is for the little one…so if you want to sleep…sleep…"

Rose rolled her eyes in exasperation but refused to admit that though she didn't _NEED_ to stay awake she _WANTED_ to. She hadn't told Dimitri but this was her favourite story too. But to keep up appearances she gave a resigned huff and prompted him to start his tale.

Dimitri wasn't a naïve fool, he knew that even though Rose had her eyes closed, she would be listening to every word he uttered – poised to correct any 'mistakes' he made in his narration. With a small grin he placed a tender kiss near her navel before beginning the epic saga.

"Let me tell you a tale about a man & a woman and how fate kept bringing them together until they finally realised they were destined for one another…  
Let me tell you, little one…the story of how I met your mother…"

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 6 YEARS AGO xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Dimitri entered the large ballroom nervously. This was the first time he was attending the charity ball that the Fire Department of City of New York threw every year. He and his best friend/work colleague Ivan had been promoted to lieutenants at the start of the year and one of the requirements of the position was the mandatory attendance of the event so they could 'woo' the sponsors and patrons who contributed to the volunteer arm of the department plus the other programs and charities it ran.

Dimitri loved his job – being a firefighter was a rewarding occupation and he loved helping people. But like any job, there was aspects he didn't enjoy and this was one of them.

"Stop being such a stick in the mud. Think of it as a big party with fancy food and free drinks. Not to mention the possibility of finding yourself some great pussy", Ivan smirked, trying to ease his poor friends nerves.

Dimitri rolled his eyes at his friends parting comment – of course that's all Ivan ever cared about, pussy and free booze. Sometimes he wondered how he even became friends with the man who could easily beat his cousin Adrian for the title of New York City's biggest man-whore. Adjusting the black mask on his face and thanking God that this year's theme was masquerade, he followed Ivan towards the bar, hoping to remain in the shadows for as long as it was humanly possible.

Of course their Captain spotted them straight away and he didn't come empty handed, bringing with him a few members of high society who were also big donors. Dimitri felt the nerves kick up a notch and he desperately looked around for an excuse to make an escape when he saw her.

As the small crowd dispersed from the dance floor, his eyes zoned in on the most beautiful creature he had ever scene. She was wearing a long, dark blue dress that clasped on one shoulder and left the other exposed in a delectable manner. Her long brown hair was styled to drape across that exposed shoulder and she wore minimal jewellery. He couldn't see much of her face since the mask she wore covered most of her features, except her lips which were two dark red beacons that seemed to beckon him.

He had started making his way over like a sailor being pulled by a tempting siren, when he felt Ivan's large hand clasp him by the arm and stir him towards their table. He barely noticed the conversation nor did he take note of what he was eating or drinking. His focus, both directly and indirectly, was on the woman who sat on a table directly opposite him – way across the damn dance floor!

If the meal wasn't hard enough to endure, Dimitri had to sit through another hour of speeches and awards – his foot impatiently tapping on the floor as he waited for the moment he could jump up and make his way over to her.

Ivan watched his best friend from the corner of his eye. He too had eyed up the gorgeous creature but when he saw Dimitri's unabashed interest he internally decided to step-aside and let his friend try his luck. He had known Dimitri since the academy and they had bonded over their Russian background and in all those years he had never seen the man so smitten with a member of the opposite sex.

Finally the MC announced the end of the 'formal' aspect of the ball and wished everyone an enjoyable night. He had barely finished his closing remark when Dimitri jumped out of his chair and turned to head towards the woman who had captured his attention… when damn his luck she was no longer at the table!

Fuming at his misfortune, his eyes swept the room as he eased himself away from the dance floor to avoid the overzealous ladies who had had enough to drink that they were more than happy to do the asking instead of being asked. He was about ready to give up when he spotted her, standing by the bar with a small drink in hand. She looked so regal and vulnerable all at the same time.

Without any further thought he made his way over to her and taking a deep breath tapped her exposed shoulder.

Rose had never attended the FDNY annual ball but since the restaurant her best friend Christian worked at was catering the event she was given a free ticket. She had been unsure on whether or not she would go as she really didn't want to turn up without a date and be a third wheel with Christian and his girlfriend Lissa, but since Christian was helping out that night – for the first half anyway – he wanted Lissa to have company and begged Rose to attend with the added incentive of meeting hot firefighters!

Lissa seemed nice and it helped that she was doing nursing as well – though her specialisation was paediatrics, while Rose was ER and surgery. They had arrived separately but had found each other at the table they were to occupy for the night. She had met Lissa on numerous occasions before and though she wouldn't give her the title of 'best friend' just yet she had definitely moved from an 'acquaintance' to a 'friend'.

They chatted lightly throughout dinner but each was occupied with their own thoughts. When the speeches finally ended, Rose made her way to the bar, desperate for a drink. She had spotted Christian entering in his rented tux and black mask and knew the rest of the night she would have to be by herself. Figuring she would have one final drink before heading home, she hadn't noticed the tall, handsome Russian who was determinedly making his way over to her.

A gentle tap bought her out of her reverie and she felt herself mesmerised by the most breathtaking set of chocolate brown eyes she had ever seen. He was tall, really tall, easily one of the tallest man she had seen that night. His hair was long and ended where his neck met his broad, muscly shoulders. Even in his tux she could see he was built and toned but not over-the-top like a body builder. Her mind rushed ahead, making her wonder how he looked naked and whether he had a six or an eight pack… Biting her lip, both nervously and in heat, she felt her panties further drench as the man studied her intensely.

"May I have this dance?" Dimitri finally whispered, his accent caressing the question as he finally found his voice that had been lost the moment he saw her biting her lower lip. It didn't help that his downstairs friend had decided to awaken and he was thankful he wasn't wearing tight dress pants.

She nodded her head and taking his offered hand, followed him to the dance floor. The moment their skin touched, palm to palm, a light electrical charge zinged through them causing goose bumps and breathlessness.

They let their bodies mould against each other and fell into a perfect rhythm that seemed to flawlessly match the music playing in the background. The people around them disappeared and time had no meaning – their entire focus on one another.

No words were exchanged as neither wanted to break the magical spell that seemed to have engulfed them. They had slowly inched closer until their lips finally met in a tender kiss. If skin to skin contact caused electricity to shoot through their bodies, kissing was like being in the centre of a bursting firework! Just as the kiss picked up its intensity, Rose's beeper went off in her little shoulder bag. Groaning in frustration, she knew who it was & why they had disturbed her on one of her rare nights off. With a heavy heart she gave the mysterious stranger one final kiss and parting gaze before fleeing the ballroom.

Dimitri stood transfixed on the dance floor, wondering what the hell had just happened and almost punched himself for his stupidity in not asking the beautiful creature her name or number. He was certain he had just met 'the one' and he couldn't believe he had just stood there and let her walk out of his life – possibly forever.

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 5 YEARS AGO xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"We are gathered here today…to honour one of our own…a man most deserving of his new position…lets here it for our recently promoted Captain – Dimitri Belikov!" Ivan proclaimed, downing his shot of vodka in one go.

"HERE! HERE!"

The rest of the group chanted before downing their own shots. The man of the hour, Dimitri, was humbled by the group. To him they were more like family than colleagues, though as of today he was officially their 'Captain' and therefor their boss. Seeing their eager smiles, he knew he had to say something to acknowledge their acceptance of his promotion.

"I've said it before and I will say it again. It's an honour and a privilege to work with you all – you aren't just colleagues I work with, you are my family. To Rescue 1!"

While Dimitri was busy taking his vodka shot with the group, his cousin Adrian finally made an appearance. Being a hot-shot lawyer meant working long hours and having limited time for fun, so Dimitri was ecstatic to see his favourite cousin had made it tonight. Adrian's loud voice boomed over the surrounding noise.

"I'm here and I'm thirsty…Load me up, my good man Ivan…I see you did the smart thing and bought the bottle".

By then the club was well and truly packed and it wasn't long before people from Rescue 1 started leaving until only four firefighters and one lawyer remained. They had reached the 'tipsy' stage – where your inhibitions are down and you're willing to do crazy things. It didn't take long for Spiridon, Ivan and Adrian to come up with something senseless to do that night.

"I'm telling you…I can get more numbers than the two of you combined!" boasted Ivan as he almost spilled his drink on Dimitri while gesturing passionately on his point. Ivan knew how his body and occupation drove the ladies crazy and was confident he could 'out-woo' the others. Spiridon was a firefighter too but had a 'slimy tongue' – the moment he opened his mouth he would say something stupid or offensive and was more likely to get slapped than dates.

Dimitri took in their banter, shaking his head indulgently. This wasn't the first time the three squared off on their male prowess and it wouldn't be the last, but it never failed to make their outings entertaining. As always, Adrian took charge.

"Ok…Ok…let's make a bet…the one who gets the _least_ amount of phone numbers shouts everyone drinks for the rest of the night. The game – we have half an hour to get as many numbers as possible… Oh and let's keep it honest & not cheat ok! Gents – lets hunt!"

For the next 30 mins Dimitri and their 'probie', Eddie, watched in amusement as Ivan, Spiridon and Adrian worked the room. They chuckled every time Spiridon was slapped or had a drink thrown in his face. The other two seemed to be faring better but it didn't look like they were getting a 100% hit-rate either. Once the time period had expired, the three made their way back to the where Dimitri and Eddie were sitting.

"Ok gents, present your numbers!" Dimitri declared, laughing at their cocky expressions.

With an overly dramatic flourish, Adrian presented 10 napkins and after a quick look everything looked legit. Ivan next produced his and even though he had 12, 2 of them were disqualified because Dimitri recognised the girl's names and remembered them to be his exes. Even though they hadn't outlined the specifics it was agreed at that point that it was unfair to include girls who they had known from previous encounters because naturally their history influenced them. Everyone was convinced that Spiridon was the loser, especially with the number of times Dimitri and Eddie had seen him strike out, but to their amazement he produced 10 numbers as well – though one napkin contained 5 numbers as he had stumbled across a wild bachelorette party and had immediately introduced himself as a firefighter!

"Damn it's a tie! What the hell are we going to do?!" Spiridon grumbled, knowing just how hard he had to work just to get those 10.

The other two started to protest as well and a major argument was on the horizon when Eddie spoke up.

"We need a tie-breaker and so I propose that you have to woo and get the number from the next woman to walk into the club. Hopefully this will give us the clear loser".

The three looked at each other and nodded in agreement. They only hoped it wouldn't cause another draw and that she was smoking hot!

As the five men turned towards the entrance, Dimitri saw her first and felt his mouth go dry. She seemed to glow in an ethereal manner, even in the dark, smoky club. Long, wavy brown hair fell across her shoulders and the black short dress hugged her curves perfectly. She was scanning the room for something or someone before heading straight to the bar, greeting the bartender in a familiar manner with a kiss on the cheek. It was Eddie's sharp elbow in his ribs that bought Dimitri out of his trance.

"Where you thinking of the girl who just walked to the bar as the tie-breaker candidate? She is definitely hot and could be a good challenge for the Stooges…Lets nominate her"

Before Dimitri could object Eddie was already pointing her out to them. Dimitri could see the hunger in their eyes while they undressed her in their minds. She seemed to bring out a whole other level of competitiveness in the men and each were determined to win the favour of this female. Dimitri, on the other hand, wanted to beat the crap out of the idiots for ogling this perfect creature, who looked vaguely familiar though he didn't know from where or why. He also felt strangely possessive of her and didn't want any of them near her. But he was too late to stop them, since Adrian was already walking towards her having won the deciding round of _'rock, paper, scissors'_.

He held his breath and watched as his cousin strike out in less than a minute. Waiting 5 mins after his return, Spiridon strode forward, strutting like the arrogant ass he was. He barely got a word out before she sent him packing as well. Dimitri prayed that Ivan would fare the same fate, but felt a knot in his stomach when he noted the familiar glint in his best friend's eyes – it was the glint which promised a slow, steady approach to whatever problem he faced which almost always guaranteed a successful resolution. He watched Ivan approach the dark hair beauty, but rather than speak to her straight away, he seemed to ask if the seat next to her was taken before calling the bartender for a drink.

Having received his drink, Ivan turned on the charm and before long was conversing with the girl. Dimitri felt his heart sink to his stomach when he saw the girl slipping something into Ivan's hands before giving him a parting kiss on the cheek, paralysing Ivan momentarily. He was still frozen in his seat when the girl left the bar area and disappeared towards the restrooms.

Ivan practically skipped back to the group, holding the folded paper in his hand like it was a gold medal.

"Read and weep fuckers!" he boasted.

Adrian and Spiridon stood there with gaping mouths and practically lunged for the piece of paper, almost ripping it in half.

"Hey assholes! Careful with that…I actually want to ask the girl out and will need the num…What the hell are you two idiots laughing at?!" Ivan bristled when he saw them crack up as they read the napkin.

Spiridon and Adrian clutched their sides as they fell into another bout of loud cackling. Seeing that they weren't going to be forthcoming on their strange behaviour, Ivan plucked the napkin out of their hands only to have his eyes widen in shock.

 _ **If you think you can smooth talk your way into my panties after having only met me 5 mins ago…you are sorely mistaken – even if you are a hot firefighter!**_

A huge grin appeared on Dimitri's face as he read the sassy message over Ivan's shoulder. But just as quickly his mood fell as he wondered if he had any shot with the gorgeous Goddess – maybe she was rejecting the guys because she was already taken? It wouldn't be a surprise since she was so breathtaking!

"Let's just call it a truce with the damn wager – I'm losing my buzz from all this hard work…I'm getting myself another drink – who wants one?" mumbled a disgruntled Ivan as he headed back to the bar.

Dimitri excused himself from any other drinks for the night and headed towards the restrooms. He was buzzed enough as is and had work the next day so didn't want a killer hangover as well. He was so lost in his thoughts he wasn't paying attention to where he was walking and bumped hard into someone exiting the ladies.

"Hey watch it!" yelled the petite figure, who bounced off his hard, muscled chest and would have fallen on her arse if his reflexes hadn't kicked in and grabbed her waist in a bid to re-balance her. Dark hair fell back and a soft gasp came out – he wasn't sure if it was from him or her. Their eyes locked in an intense gaze and million thoughts were communicated between them. Their coming together felt so familiar that they had forgotten they were blocking the entrance to the ladies. The banging of a door finally startled them out of their stupor and they sheepishly pulled apart. Forgetting his need to pee, Dimitri stood beside the woman that had captured his attention – tongue-tied and unsure of what to say.

"Do you wanna grab a drink with me?" she asked shyly, gazing at him through her thick lashes.

 _Here was his chance!_ He racked his brain for a suave, flirtatious response but when he opened his mouth could only muster a lame, "Sure".

Wanting to smack himself he silently followed her back to the bar, praying the guys wouldn't notice him.

It was Eddie that spotted their captain and his mouth instantly fell open when he saw who he was chatting up.

"Guys…GUYS! You're not gonna believe who our captain is with…"

After sharing few standard pleasantries, Dimitri realised he hadn't introduced himself when the girl placed a delicate finger across his lips in a gesture of silence.

"Let's play a little game – we won't share our real names or any other identifying details to each other. This includes occupation. We can talk about things in general…weather, current events, what we like/dislike…but nothing that could reveal our identity…Then we will leave it to fate to determine if we should get to know one another properly….What do you think? You keen to play my game?" she ended her little request in a seductive purr.

' _Like I could refuse her anything!'_ thought Dimitri while he nodded in agreement. As his body registered her finger against his lips an electric shock surged through his body – a sensation he hadn't felt since last year's ball. Dimitri eyed the woman in front of him in a new light – could she be his 'Cinderella'?

Rose felt the shock as well and she too was reminded of the FDNY ball. She had kicked herself later for leaving the ball in a Cinderella-like escape and had desperately hoped she would bump into him again. And here was fate, throwing them together once more. She was reconsidering her 'anonymous' game, knowing how much she had regretted walking away knowing nothing about her mysterious stranger, but the scene had been set and plus she didn't want to appear desperate.

Dimitri wondered if he should bring up the ball and ask if she had attended, but then that would go against the 'no revealing occupation' rule since he would have to admit his connection to the ball. So he kept silent and led the girl, who had haunted his dreams since that night, onto the dance floor.

Just like that night, their bodies took over and everything else faded away. It wasn't long before they were dirty dancing and had somehow found their way to a dark corner of the dance floor.

Dimitri was nothing like Ivan when it came to women – he treated them with utmost respect and allowed them to dictate how things progressed. But tonight he embraced his alpha persona. The moment they were completely immersed in the dark, he pushed Rose hard against the wall and devoured her lips in a heated kiss.

Rose lost her ability to breathe as she was ravished and though she needed air she refused to let Dimitri go and pulled him closer while her body begged for them to merge into a singular entity. Her fingers grasped his hair and nearly pulled them from the roots as she launched herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around his hips.

Dimitri growled in desire, as he steadied her by grabbing that perfectly toned arse in his large hands. They seemed to fit perfectly in his palms like pieces of puzzles falling into place and he wondered what other body parts would fit together just as perfectly. Sensing her struggling for air, he mercifully moved his lips from her luscious ones and trailed them along the soft ridge of her jaw before nipping and licking along her neck – _God did she taste divine!_

Rose wanted nothing more than to give into her lust. Her current behaviour was definitely out of character but she couldn't help it nor could she blame the alcohol because she only had the one drink. But something about this accented stranger made her want to throw caution to the wind and go wild. Some vague part of her realised she was actually grinding her wet core against his hard erection – his very large, hard erection – and she let out another moan in pleasure.

But before anything further could happen, Dimitri's phone buzzed loudly along with his beeper.

' _FUCK!'_ he thought, as he gently let Rose down on her wobbly feet.

He didn't need to see the message on his beeper or who the missed call was from to know he had to leave. It was his night off but if his pager AND phone went off it meant something big was going down. This time it was his turn to leave them in the middle of something that felt like a once in a lifetime moment.

"Can we really not tell each other our names?" he mumbled sadly, his forehead leaning against hers as he waited for his heart rate to return to normal and hopefully in the process diminish the hard-on that was begging to burst out of his pants.

She understood the desperation he felt as she felt the same way. Suddenly a brilliant idea came to her and she hoped it would be a good compromise.

"Since I'm certain this is our second meeting, why don't we give each other nicknames to remember by. Fate bought us together twice already and something tells me it will bring us together again. Hmm, my nickname for you would have to be Cowboy because you clearly like Westerns".

Dimitri pulled back in surprise and even though it was almost pitch black in their corner, he could see her facial expression well enough to note her eyes were looking towards his belt buckle. It was a rectangle buckle that had a sheriff star on the side which appeared like a shooting star. Dimitri felt himself blush – his love of all things Western was his guilty pleasure and this belt buckle was a present from his youngest sister Vika on his 30th birthday.

Rose couldn't help but giggle at Dimitri's reaction to her nickname, but she couldn't think of a better one for him. She wouldn't be surprised if his winter coat was a duster to complete the cowboy look. Her hands made their way from his thick, soft hair to his hard cheeks. The heat that was radiating off them let her know her assessment of his love of Westerns had caused him to blush and she felt herself melt even more for the handsome man.

Dimitri eyed her up & down and suddenly remembered the dress from the ball and that the only jewellery she wore – both tonight and that night – was a silver necklace with a blue pendant that looked like an eye. His grinned mischievously as he figured out his nickname for her.

"I dub thee Blue…" he whispered huskily. His phone buzzed again and he knew Ivan was probably trying to get hold of him – if he was called in so would the rest of the team and he prayed the guys were sober enough to handle whatever situation they were about to walk into.

Nothing more was said, but they both leant in and stole one final kiss as they each silently prayed to the fates to bring them together again and preferably soon!

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 4 YEARS AGO xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Rose was having that amazing dream again.

It was a mash-up of the night of the ball 2 years ago and the club last year. Like a movie montage, the scenes sliced between the two nights as she watched her 'Cowboy' glide her across the elegant ballroom and then suddenly the image would change to them in the dark dance floor where they had grinded against each other.

She knew when she was coming to the good part – the make-out session at the club – but before she could see it she was pulled into a conscious state by her damn phone!

"What the hell!? Someone better be dying!" she answered angrily, having just come off a double shift.

She sat up the moment she heard Alberta's voice – the head of nursing would only call you when there was a Code Orange and everyone was needed to help out with the large influx of patients coming into the ER.

Living close to the hospital had its perks and in less than 15 mins she burst through the ER already in her nurse scrubs and her hair in her customary bun. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she tried to not let the scene overwhelm her.

It was complete bedlam – people screaming, crying and shouting as nurses and doctors rushed around looking like headless chicken. The poor EMTs were struggling transporting an endless stream of patients.

Taking a deep breath to centre herself and ensure the adrenaline that was coursing through her system would help rather than hinder her process, Rose eyed Alberta's frantic form as she tried to bring some semblance of structure in the chaos around her.

"Where do you need me Bertie?" she asked the frazzled head nurse.

Giving her a thankful smile, Alberta directed her towards the worst of the patients, knowing her existing experience in ER and surgery made her the ideal candidate to handle patients suffering from severe injuries while they waited for doctors, surgeries and scans.

She spotted the area of the ER that had been set-aside for the worst of the worst and made her way over, snapping the rubber gloves in place as her body fell into 'nurse mode'.

Her steps briefly faltered when she recognised the figure that lay before her – it was the guy from the club, the one who had thought he had successfully charmed her enough to be graced with her number.

 _Damn what was his name…Ian…Isaac…Ivan!_

He lay groaning in pain and had soot on his face. Even with the oxygen mask she could see him struggling to breathe – his lungs probably still full of smoke. She gently took the face mask off before re-examining his wounds. Most were superficial, but then she came across the broken arm and finally understood why he was complaining.

"Dimitri….Dimitri…"

He whispered, sounding slightly delirious as he fell in and out of consciousness. Rose shook herself out of her temporary shock and completed her examination. She was almost finished with her final tests when she heard a shout from one of the EMTs.

"Code Blue! We need help here!"

She rushed out from her spot and almost tripped over her legs when she saw who they had bought into the ER. It was her Cowboy and from the sound of the flat-lining his heart had stopped! It was her internal scream of anguish that finally kicked-started her body into action and seeing the others occupied, she ran over and jumped onto the gurney, straddling him as she administered CPR frantically while others came to help move them to a proper station and someone finally bought over a defib.

Knowing the longer he was out the harder it would be to resuscitate him, Rose took charge and made it her personal mission to bring him back – fate had yet again bought them together and she'd be damned if he died on her watch!

She was about to shock him again for the 3rd time and watched as her colleagues sympathetically started to disperse, feeling she was wasting her time on a lost cause. Before the machine had powered up, Rose leant over Dimitri and whispered furiously.

"You better get your arse back to me Cowboy! No way are you dying today! Not on my watch! So wake the fuck up!"

The paddles had charged and she delivered what she hoped was the final jolt of electricity needed to jump start his heart – if this didn't work she didn't know what else she could do! Whether it was the 3rd shock or Rose's words but suddenly Dimitri's heart started back up.

Rose almost collapsed in relief but it wasn't over yet and she quickly got to work in setting him up with the necessary drugs and machines. From what Rose could tell there was a large bump on the side of his head and he had bruising on his chest which probably meant broken ribs. Scheduling him for urgent scans to check for internal bleeding, she finally stepped aside and surveyed the unconscious man. Noting the bag of belongings on the side, she picked up the wallet and finally discovered his name via his licence.

Dimitri Belikov

It took Dimitri another 3 weeks before he regained consciousness – the bump on his head had been serious and had required some minor surgery to relieve pressure. As he felt himself re-entering the world of the living, he felt a soft hand brush against his cheek, caressing him with a loving a touch.

When his eyes finally gained focus he found himself staring back into eyes that had haunted his dreams intermittently over the last two years.

"Hey there Cowboy…welcome back..." she whispered as a lone tear fell down her cheek.

Rose had found a way to check up on Dimitri every day since his admittance. She had kept her distance when she noted he had visitors, choosing to spend time with him when it was just the two of them. She recognised some of the guys from his team when they came along with Ivan, who had only taken a week to be considered well enough to be discharged, though he did need a caste for his broken arm. And she had seen a gaggle of women who came in almost every day to see Dimitri and guessed they were his family.

But her focus right now was Dimitri as she stared into his beautiful eyes – his gaze caressing her soul like always.

Dimitri finally registered his environment and realised he was in a hospital. Then like a horrible dream, his mind replayed the terrible events of the night of the great fire. With a dry throat, he rasped out.

"How long have I been in here?"

Rose quickly gave him some water first, hearing the hoarseness of his voice. He eagerly consumed it and then tried to sit up, feeling his muscles strain and complain against his efforts.

"Take it easy Dimitri, you've been in the hospital for over 3 weeks and have only just woken up…"

Dimitri stopped mid-way in his endeavours to sit-up when he heard her say his name – _how the hell did she know his name?_

Rose looked at him sheepishly and pointed towards his wallet that was by his bedside. Following her motion, he grinned when he realised that now she knew his name it was only fair she shared hers.

Seeing the questioning look on his face she gave him an indulgent smile and was about to tell him her name when a loud screech from the door startled them.

"DIMKA! You're awake! Oh thank God – I was soo worried about you!"

Rose and Dimitri turned as one towards the woman who ran and fell into Dimitri's arms in an exaggerated manner. Dimitri flinched, not only from the sharp pain but upon remembering who this woman was.

Rose watched the scene unfold and felt her stomach twist in fear. The gorgeous dark haired beauty finally registered Rose's presence and pulling herself off Dimitri, she turned and with a fake smile extended her hand to Rose as she eyed her over.

"Hi, my name is Tasha – I'm Dimitri's girlfriend".

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 3 YEARS AGO xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Rose couldn't breathe and a strange beeping noise finally pulled her out of her deep slumber.

Smoke.

Soo much smoke.

Fire.

It finally registered in Rose's head that there was a fire somewhere in the apartment and she needed to get out.

Grabbing her wallet, phone, keys and jacket she rushed out of her door and watched the other frightened residents rushing to the exit.

"Somebody help!"

Rose hesitated for a second before she turned back around and went towards the distressed voice.

Dimitri had just settled down for a late dinner at the fire station when the alarm went off. Sighing in frustration, he abandoned the twice heated food and quickly made his way to the truck, pulling on his jacket and helmet as he went.

Ivan was right beside him and they both piled into the truck while another was pulling out before them. The looked at the dispatch details for the address and situation and saw this was going to be another big one – maybe not as bad as the one they experienced last year but still a decent size.

As Ivan drove, Dimitri thought back to the day when Tasha had ruined everything. He could see Blue's pain reflected in her eyes before she removed all forms of emotion from her face. Giving them a polite smile she left them and that was the last time Dimitri saw her.

Luckily he was able to find out her name – Rose Mazur – from one of the other nurses, but whenever he asked for her, he was given excuses for why she no longer visited him. Dimitri wasn't stupid, he knew that finding out he had a girlfriend was the reason behind Rose's disappearance. The annoying thing was that Tasha wasn't his girlfriend – just someone he had gone on a few dates with. By the time he had been discharged he and Tasha were history, since she had left for Europe on a big photoshoot and didn't want a long distance thing.

He sent Rose countless bouquets – each containing a card stating which station he worked at and begging for a chance to explain. But she never came or called. He called the hospital numerous times until Ivan intervened and told him to leave it be. He had told Ivan all about Rose and the number of times fate had bought them together.

As they pulled up to the tall building that was well and truly blazing, they saw a small figure pulling a few people out of the entrance before heading back inside. Dimitri and Ivan shared a look – the last thing they needed was a bloody hero getting themselves killed in the chaos!

Dimitri headed straight inside, focused on getting the 'hero' and whoever else they were in there for out while Ivan and the others got busy putting out the fire. He pulled on his gas mask before entering, noting the bad smoke. Letting his senses and intuition guide him he found the 'hero' struggling to help an elderly lady from her apartment. Striding forward he realised the 'hero' was a small woman who picked that moment to collapse into his arms, and so throwing her effortlessly over his shoulder and supporting the old lady, he led them out.

Handing the unconscious 'hero' to the nearest EMT while another quickly took hold of the old lady, he went back into the building to do a last lap to ensure no one else was left. Satisfied the building was empty he came out and helped the boys subdue the last of the flames. Pulling off the mask he made his way over to the EMT who was looking after the 'hero'.

Dimitri gasped in surprise when he saw who it was that lay moaning on the gurney as an oxygen mask was placed over her face. And just like every other time he had seen her, the world faded away and he grabbed her small, familiar hands in his, feeling that amazing electricity pulse through them.

The sudden electric shock to her palm jolted Rose conscious and when her eyes focused on the handsome face that was close by she almost started crying.

"Hi Roza…" Dimitri whispered, and without further thought leant in and kissed her lips – lips he had been dying to kiss since that magical night at the ball and club. Rose melted into the kiss and allowed it to grow in passion until she remembered Tasha.

She reluctantly pulled back and questioned him.

"What about Tasha?"

Dimitri gave her a small smile while his eyes hungrily took in her features. Fate kept bringing them together and twice they had almost lost one another.

Dimitri wasn't going to make the same mistake a fourth time.

Having been given the all-clear by the EMT, Dimitri picked her up in his arms and carried her away from the chaos around them. Spotting a small park across the street, he carried her over and kept her in his arms as he took a seat on one of the benches.

Rose clutched Dimitri desperately – she too regretted letting him go all those previous times and knew that fate would intervene only on so many occasions. She inhaled deeply his manly scent – a mix of some enticing aftershave and sweat. When she realised they had stopped she turned her face towards the handsome Russian firefighter.

Remembering that she was still waiting for a response on her question about Tasha, Dimitri addressed this first.

"I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to clear up a few things at the hospital. Firstly, Tasha was never my girlfriend – we had gone out on a few dates and she seemed nice, but I could never see us have any kind of future. Secondly, I really hated that I never got your name or number the first two times we met and if I hadn't hounded the other nurses at the hospital, I wouldn't have found out your name the third time. Which brings me to the final and most important point – I love you Rose Mazur! I loved you the moment I saw you across that damn ballroom – you looked like a Goddess in that blue gown and even though I couldn't see your face, I just knew in my heart you were the 'one'. And then fate kept bringing us together and every time we separated, a part of me died knowing that I once again let you slip through my fingers. But I'll be damned if I make that mistake again – so I ask you now, Blue – super nurse and healer of the weak – will you please give me a proper chance and go out on a date with me?"

Rose felt warm tears cascading down her cheeks as she listened to Dimitri open his heart to her. After all that he confessed there was only one way for her to respond.

"Yes, my brave and daring Cowboy, I would love to go out with you and… I love you too, Dimitri Belikov…"

Grinning at her declaration, Dimitri didn't waste another minute to capture her lips – sealing their destinies together, forever.

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PRESENT DAY xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"A year later, I asked your scary grandbaba his permission to marry his beautiful daughter. I was worried your mama would say no, since we had only been 'officially' going out for a year but I had barely gotten my proposal out when she threw herself on me, screaming _YES! YES! YES!_ Startling the other people at the restaurant. Suffice to say we were soon married and now await impatiently for your arrival. And so, my little one, that's how I met your mother…"

Dimitri leant forward and started peppering Rose's belly with kisses all the while whispering a string of Russian to the baby.

Rose chuckled at her husband's antics, but felt the love in her heart deepen as she watched him gush over their unborn child. She never tired of hearing their tale but a part of her wondered if it was really appropriate for the ears of someone under the age of 18.

"You know when the baby is born you can't tell them our story – not unless you make it PG".

Dimitri gave her an adorable pout, showing his disappointment for her need to censor him. Giggling at his expression, she bent down as much as her belly would allow and pulled Dimitri the rest of the way for a deep kiss.

"Though tonight Cowboy, if you are up for it, I would love for things to get a bit R-rated…" she purred seductively and gave him a sly wink.

Dimitri growled in anticipation and after drawing out another deep, passionate kiss, he whispered back.

"Your wish is my command, my beautiful Blue…"

 **The End**

 **A/N: Colour and codes used in hospitals vary from country to country and sometimes across hospitals within a country. The ones mentioned in this story are typically used in the US and Canada and prescribed by the British Columbia Ministry of Health.**

 **Information on the FDNY obtained from Wikipedia so excuse any inaccuracies.**


End file.
